On August 25, 1960, Smokey Smothers entered the King Records studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, and cut twelve sides for the label. The next day Freddy King, who played on those twelve tracks, went into the same studio and laid down six songs which included Have You Ever Loved a Woman? as well as the instrumental hit and enduring blues standard, Hideaway.

Smokey Smothers' twelve tracks became the album Smokey Smothers sings The Backporch Blues. The entire album is a wonderful take on Chicago style, down home, electric blues that wasn’t burdened by the pressures that white rock&roll artists had already brought to bear on African-American musical expression.

It is a terrific album that very few people heard upon its initial pressing and then all but disappeared. That disappearance and the making of such great music in the first place is largely the story of the King Record label.

Syd Nathan founded King Records to make “hillbilly music,” but soon took on a large and generally overlooked demand for “race records.” He signed such stars as James Brown and his Famous Flames, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters and the label’s first big crossover hit by way of The Dominoes and their song, Sixty Minute Man.

By this time Nathan had signed on famed A&R talent scout and producer Ralph Bass. Bass had already produced T-Bone Walker for the Black and White label and his big hit Stormy Monday Blues. King Records and its “race records” imprint Federal Records had also signed up Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Roy Brown, Ivory Joe Hunter, Champion Jack Dupree, The 5 Royales and others to the label. If you were a black musician, King Records in Cincinnati, Ohio, was the place to be. Bass knew how to make records and Nathan knew how to sell them.

Smothers was a Mississippi native who moved to Chicago at the age of seventeen. He was a guitarist and vocalist who almost immediately upon his arrival started playing around town and recording with the biggest names in Chicago blues. These names included Howlin’ Wolf, with whom he cut three sides as second guitarist behind Willie Johnson. He also was a regular joining Muddy Waters on stage at the Club Zanzibar. It was during this time period that Smothers met Gilmore, Texas, native Freddy King who was voraciously absorbing the Chicago blues scene in general and the guitar playing of Jimmy Rogers specifically.

Both Smothers and King were signed by King Records talent scout, A&R man, producer, song writer and house pianist Sonny Thompson. Thompson might be best known for his work with Freddy King in the late 50’s and early 60’s. He co-wrote and played on most, if not all, of his greatest hits. However, by this time he had already established himself as a band leader and a formidable artist in his own right. He immediately put King and Smothers together in the studio. For Smokey Smothers it looked like everything was in place for a great album and a successful career at King.

The twelve tracks, which were recorded by Smothers and King on that August day and night, have a relaxed feel that might put one in mind of the wildly popular Jimmy Reed. However, Backporch Blues goes way beyond that. The players are King on lead guitar and Fred Jordan playing interweaving guitar and walking bass lines ala Dave Meyers on Little Walter sides or Eddie Taylor on those famous Jimmy Reed records. The drummer is Philip Paul. He has just the right amount of kick to his playing. As far as King’s playing is concerned it is the only time one can hear him doing the old early 50’s style Chicago blues for which he had such affection, but never really played on record. His sound owes much to the great Jimmy Rogers. Freddy King’s guitar playing is all over Back Porch Blues. His rare if not only appearance as a side man makes Back Porch Blues that much more coveted as a result.

Smothers, King and Thompson made a great record yet success would be another story all together. This album was made at a time when the King label was cutting back on pressings for lesser known artists and Smothers sadly fell into that category. According to John Tefteller of World Rarest Records fame a mint condition vinyl copy of Backporch Blues can fetch at least $2,000. He refers to this record as the fifth rarest album in the history of the entire King catalogue.

In 2002, Smokey Smothers sings The Backporch Blues was re-issued on CD by Ace Records out of the U.K.  It contains the original twelve sides in order, as they appeared on the original LP. They appear at the beginning of the album. Then listeners are treated to nine alternate takes and four songs presented as they were originally intended to be recorded without studio overdubs or edits. This 25 track beauty is of course a godsend to anyone who has never heard the original LP. It is also a revelation to those who have, as it puts the ultra rare original LP in the historical context that this music deserves. This Ace package also contains an eleven page booklet with liner notes by Bill Dahl who gives a brief bio on Smothers as well as information about the session itself.

Smokey Smothers sings The Backporch Blues never sounded better and this 2002 release on Ace Records is a true desert island disc.

- David Mac

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